Jay-Z isn't just trying to sell teams on Robinson Cano, superstar second baseman, he is pitching Cano as a potential cultural icon. The idea isn't as crazy as it sounds.

After weeks of his name being conspicuously absent from the hot stove chatter, Robinson Cano, the top talent on the free agent market this winter, finally grabbed some headlines on Tuesday. Or at least his agent did. Cano isn't just repped by some Ari Gold-wannabe you've never heard of. His agent is Jay-Z- 17-time Grammy-winning rapper, co-founder of Rocawear apparel and founder of Roc Nation entertainment- and when Jay-Z wants to get our attention, all he has to do is pick up the phone.

Mr. Z's first phone call went out to Queens and on Monday night, the mega-platinum artist was at the least-secret secret meeting ever held, sitting across from Mets GM Sandy Alderson and owner Fred Wilpon at a high-end Manhattan hotel.

There was almost zero chance that this meeting could produce anything that could be considered a serious bid for Cano from the Mets front office, right from the start, but that probably didn't matter to Jay-Z. The meeting did something even more important.

It put a picture of Robinson Cano photo-shopped into a Mets uniform on the back of the New York Daily News for every irrational Yankees and Mets fan to see. Half the city woke up to the false image of a dream come true and the other half woke up to their worst nightmare. That's the kind of showmanship you expect from a man who sells out stadiums for a living.

Unfortunately, such showmanship doesn't have much effect on baseball executives. According to a report by Mark Feinstein of the New York Daily News, when Yankees president Randy Levine was asked if the Mets could potentially sign Cano, he shot back, "For $300 million they can," mocking the second baseman's reported $300 million price tag, a price that the Yankees want no part of. "As Hal [Steinbrenner] has said, we have no interest in doing 10-year deals with any player or paying any player $300 million," Levine explained. Forbes writer Todd Van Riper pointed to the meeting as proof that Jay-Z's inexperience in this world is showing and could hurt Cano's earning power. After another report from Feinstein revealed that Cano's team was trying to bill him as baseball's Michael Jordan, the collective response could be accurately be summarized as "What, Who?"

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer

Robinson Cano isn't Michael Jordan. For one thing, Michael Jordan topped out with a .202/.289/.266 batting line at Double-A. For another, Michael Jordan remains one of the most famous athletes in the world ten years after his retirement from basketball while Robinson Cano is just the third most famous Yankee playing the game right now.

With a ridiculous price tag out there and even more ridiculous claims about Cano's level of celebrity getting tossed around, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that Jay-Z is an amateur playing a high-stakes game he is completely unprepared for. I wouldn't take that bet too quickly, however.

Forget for a moment that Jay-Z is a man who took a single, powerful skill- musical talent- and turned it into an empire that has expanded steadily to include fashion, real estate, gaming and sports. Instead, consider how Jay-Z and his Roc Nation Group view Robinson Cano without dwelling on the audaciousness of the Jordan comparison. Jay-Z's team doesn't just see Cano as another super-talented player whose performance commands a long-term contract at a price that baffles the mind, the way his former agent, Scott Boras would have. Roc Nation Sports sees Cano as a potential American icon, a celebrity who commands money on the field, on commercial lots, in photo studios and anywhere else they can dream up a connection between sports and some customer base. That vision of Cano might appear far-fetched at first and the Roc Nation strategy is not without substantial risk, but important trends in baseball and American popular culture overall make it a bet with enormous upside potential.

Baseball has experienced an extremely prosperous run under commission Bud Selig, but even with the incredible growth in revenue and enormous sums of money pouring into the game from television deals, there is continual hand-wringing about ratings, especially national ratings. Some of examples of this, like Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr.'s article from Forbes about the 2012 World Series ratings come from the constant failure of media writers to make appropriate adjustments when comparing the modern, 900-channel television landscape with the UHF-VHF days of yore. Comparing modern Nielsen ratings to those of the 1970's and 1980's without adjustment is akin to looking a deadball-era home run rates against those of the early 2000's. Baseball has done an excellent job of getting ahead of the game with MLB Advanced Media, but there is a real element of concern hidden in the ratings numbers. Baseball fans are getting older, as this article from Bloomberg News details. The myriad of Viagra commercials I end up seeing every October spells out with disconcerting clarity. Advertisers chase after viewers from the 18-49 demographic and baseball is getting less and less capable of delivering them.

That trend might not be evenly distributed across all demographics, however. ESPN Deportes recorded its second highest rated broadcast of the Home Run Derby in 2013 and that event saw an eight percent increase in viewers 18-49. If that is an indication of a larger trend within the game's audience, it is one that is poised to be incredible important over the life of Robinson Cano's new contract. According to data from Pew Research's Hispanic Trends Project, there were 51.9 million Hispanic people living in America in 2011, a 4% increase over the last ten-year period between censuses and other such increase appears likely. More importantly, for baseball this demographic is younger than any of the other major racial or ethnic groups in the country with a median age of just 27. That gives baseball hope for a new influx of passionate fans who are in the middle of the most coveted age group and approach an age where buying power generally increases.

Obviously, there has been no lack of Hispanic stars in the game to this point. Baseball is already heavily Latin American in its own demographics, with just under 30% of the players coming from that ethnic group since the early 2000's, according to this study from Mark Armour and Dan Levitt at the Society for American Baseball Research. Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera has won the last two AL MVPs. Dominican Albert Pujols has three MVPs to his name and the third largest contract ever given out. Cuban-born Jose Fernandez won the NL Rookie of the Year and finished second in the Cy Young Award voting. And of course, there is Alex Rodriguez, who owns of the two largest contracts in baseball history and who probably trumps everyone else in the game in both fame and infamy at this point.

Cano certainly isn't the first major Latino star and at this point, he probably isn't even the biggest, but he is perfectly positioned to become a cross-cultural icon in a way that none of the other Hispanic stars have. Roc Nation has already landed him an endorsement deal with Pepsi, making him the face of Major League Baseball for one of the world's best known brands. According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, who detailed the difference between Boras' approach and the upstart Roc Nation Sports thoroughly, such off-the-field earnings were front and center in Cano's decision to make the switch. Cano is one of the best players in the game now and he still has a number of prime seasons ahead of him. He doesn't same carry the negative baggage as the once-troubled Cabrera or the constantly troubled A-Rod. He has cache in the biggest market in the country, thanks to his history with the Yankees, and he his heritage could be a key asset for companies looking to build their brand with a section of the baseball audience that is growing in size and significance.

And he has Jay-Z. The media magnate doesn't need to beat Scott Boras at the contract negotiation game if he can make Robinson Cano the kind of trend-setting star athlete that is so common in basketball and so rare in baseball. There are inherent challenges to that mission, from the long grind of the baseball season to the lack of face time during the games, but the potential is too great to ignore. Apart from his flow, Jay-Z's greatest skill is a mind for corporate synergy and street-style marketing that would make Jack Donaghy swoon. If Cano can dominate headlines this winter and land a major-market deal big enough to catch the imagination of casual fans, he is going to be at the right place at the right time. There is no way of knowing whether he can realistically translate that into lasting iconic fame, but he probably has the right crew behind him.

More from MLB Daily Dish:

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What does the Brian McCann signing mean for the likes of J.R. Murphy, Austin Romine, Gary Sanchez, and even Francisco Cervelli?

On Saturday, the Yankees made the first, big free agent splash of the offseason. I'm not talking about some silly Marlon Byrd or Josh Johnson signing: I'm talking about signing the best catcher, by far, off the free agent market in Brian McCann. Before the McCann signing, however, the Yankees already had a surplus of young catching depth in the organization, so what does this signing mean for the rest of said catching depth?

Francisco Cervelli

Following a strong first 16 games of the 2013 season in which he hit .269/.377/.500 in 61 plate appearances, Francisco Cervelli hit a big bump in the road by breaking his hand in the first inning of his 17th game. To go along with the broken hand, Cervelli suffered a setback during his rehab (which included an elbow injury) and a 50-game Biogenesis suspension, thus he wasn't to be seen again in 2013. Because of this, there was thought that the Yankees would move on from Cervelli by non-tendering him. However, Brian Cashman did say the team would tender the 27-year-old a contract before the McCann signing. Cervelli is projected to make $1 million through arbitration and does not have any minor league options remaining.

Of course, the Yankees could change their mind and non-tender Cervelli, thus making him a free agent. They could also trade him and get anything they can for him, kind of like what the Cardinals did with David Freese, in return. If they do tender him a contract and keep him, though, he will be slated to be the team's backup catcher in 2014.

Austin Romine

Austin Romine's 2013 season was a disappointing one, though I felt he didn't get a fair chance to prove himself. He hit just .207/.255/.296 and only got to start here and there, thanks to the Yankees' odd obsession with Chris Stewart. Before the signing of McCann, it wouldn't have been too crazy to think he would be the Yankees' regular catcher heading into 2014. Now it's unclear what Romine's role will be for the Yankees next season. If the team doesn't tender Cervelli a contract/decides to trade him, Romine would probably be slated as the Yankees' backup catcher with J.R. Murphy getting the regular catching job down at Triple-A Scranton. Unless I'm wrong, Romine does have an option remaining and could get sent to Triple-A and get regular at-bats down there. If he does not, the Yankees will have to decide between Romine and Cervelli to be the backup catcher next season.

J.R. Murphy

Despite a down year on the farm, J.R. Murphy's 2013 was a pretty successful one. The 22-year-old Murphy hit .269/.347/.426 in 468 plate attempts split between Double-A and Triple-A. With positive reports that his defense behind the plate has made big strides, it wouldn't have been too much of a shock see Murphy break spring training as the team's regular catcher. Now, though, things look a lot different. Since Murphy has, in my opinion, more upside than Romine, I wouldn't want him to lose important development time by wasting away on the Major League bench. Instead, he could be kept down in Triple-A and get regular at-bats. If McCann gets injured (heaven forbid), Murphy could be brought up and get the regular at-bats behind the plate.

Gary Sanchez

For years now (mainly since the Jesus Montero/Michael PIneda trade), Gary Sanchez has been labeled as "The Catcher of the Future" for the Yankees. With McCann now on board, however, Sanchez's long-term future with the team isn't as clear as it once was. Some may feel the Yankees should now trade their soon-to-be-21-year-old prospect for another area of need (pitcher? shortstop? outfielder?), but unless there's an obvious deal to be made, the Yankees' best bet is to hold onto their top prospect. There are also doubts as to whether or not Sanchez will be able to stay behind the plate long-term, so it's no guarantee he'll be able to catch even when he makes the majors with McCann already in the fold.

I didn't include Chris Stewart in all of this because it was a foregone conclusion that he'd be non-tendered anyway. Including Cervelli and excluding Stewart, the Yankees have five catchers on their 40-man roster. If they decide to stick with this, they'll have McCann and Cervelli at the Major League level, Murphy and Romine in Triple-A, and Sanchez in Double-A. Since there are still plenty of needs to be addressed, I could see a trade being made to help address one of those needs, but only if there's a deal out there that makes sense. It also wouldn't be the worst thing for the Yankees to hold onto all of their catching assets just in case, considering catchers (young catchers at that) are a valuable commodity. The Yankees are in the driver's seat here, and having a surplus of catchers is a very good "problem" to have.

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The Marlins have expressed interest in Phil Hughes. It could be a perfect match.

According to a recent post by MLB Trade Rumors, the Miami Marlins have called Phil Hughes and are possibly interested in acquiring his services. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes,

The Marlins often like to pursue players who had one bad year after a good one, hoping to get them at a reasonable price. So it’s not surprising they called about Yankees free agent right-hander Phil Hughes, who went 4-14 with a 5.19 ERA in 2013 after going 16-13 in 2012. The Marlins are considering adding an inexpensive veteran starting pitcher.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2013/11/martinincognito-tidbits-physical-attack-alleged-wells-interviews-fins-heat-canes-marlins.html#storylink=cpy

Phil Hughes could potentially be a perfect fit for Miami. Marlins Park is, without question, a pitcher friendly ballpark and Hughes is a fly-ball pitcher who is looking for a bounce back, return to form year after his dismal outing in the 2013 regular season. As Jackson said, Phil Hughes should be relatively inexpensive. Especially when you consider the recent four year deal Jason Vargas got from the Royals. Hughes is not that much better or worse than Vargas and can probably be acquired somewhere around the same price. Of course, judging anything by what Dayton Moore does is a questionable course of action. Regardless of that, Phil Hughes' tenure in Yankee Stadium should be over with and Marlins Park might be a place where Hughes can shine and be the potentially great pitcher he never was with the Yankees.

More from Pinstripe Alley:

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• Yankees sign Brian McCann: Short-term slam dunk, long-term risk
• Yankees sign Brian McCann: Reaction from around the internet
• Brian McCann signs with Yankees: Finding the good and bad in his five-year deal
• Yankees sign Brian McCann to five-year, $85 million deal
• Yankees in serious talks with Brian McCann

According to multiple reports, the Yankees and Brian McCann agreed to a five-year contract on Saturday night. What does this deal tell us about the Yankees' plans for both the present and future?

After a disappointing 2013 season, the New York Yankees took a major step towards improving in 2014 when reports surfaced that they had agreed to a contract with free agent catcher Brian McCann. According to multiple news outlets, McCann’s deal with the Yankees will pay him $85 million over the next five seasons and also includes a vesting option for another season that could raise the total to $100 million.

Given how poor the team’s catchers performed in 2013, McCann represents a major upgrade for New York even with the inherent risks that come with handing out expensive, five-year deals to free agents. Last year, the unimpressive group of Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, Austin Romine, and J.R. Murphy combined to produce just 0.9 WAR, ranking 12th in the American League. They posted a .213/.287/.298 batting line and a pedestrian 61 wRC+.

McCann’s bat will be an immediate upgrade in the Bronx, as the lefty slugger has hit 20 home runs for six straight seasons, while averaging a .353 wOBA and .193 ISO throughout his career. Injuries may be a slight concern considering McCann has missed at least 30 games for three straight seasons, but even in an abbreviated campaign last year, the former Brave still compiled 2.7 WAR and a 122 wRC+. Though he turns 30 in February, McCann’s walk and strikeouts rates still sat near career norms in 2013, and he also remains an above-average defender and pitch framer.

For the Yankees, this contract indicates that they will be major players on the market this winter. After signing McCann, they look unlikely to stay under the $189 million luxury tax threshold, but questions always persisted over whether or not the team’s front office was truly serious about that strategy. Factoring in McCann’s deal, the team now has roughly $120 million committed to eight players for 2014, and adding in the money that needs to be allocated to all their arbitration-eligible players, that figure rises to somewhere just under $140 million.

If Alex Rodriguez is suspended, that will give the Yankees an extra $26 million to work with, but also a hole to fill at third base. Add in the ongoing negotiations with Robinson Cano, the team’s supposed interest in Carlos Beltran, and their need to acquire another starting pitcher or two, and the Yankees appear likely to be big spenders and serious players throughout the offseason.

In giving up a draft pick for McCann, New York did forfeit the 18th pick in next year’s draft, which is the best position they have held in years and also could have helped aid a talent-deprived farm system. But the Yankees were always going to add a major free agent this winter, and the fact they made such a major upgrade at catcher makes losing that draft pick a much easier pill to swallow. Plus, if Cano, Curtis Granderson, or Hiroki Kuroda sign elsewhere, they could receive multiple picks in the compensation round as a result.

Ultimately, the Yankees were never going to forfeit their present for a single draft pick that may or may not turn into a quality major leaguer. As our Andrew Shen wrote earlier this season, the Yankees are a team perpetually committed to the here and now, and trying to balance present concerns with a half-hearted attempt to build for the future wouldn’t have done the organization any good either.

McCann fills a gaping hole in the team’s lineup and will be a major improvement upon last year’s Yankee catchers. The team can shift him over to first base when Mark Teixeira’s contract ends in 2016 if need be, and given the escalating amount of money being spent on free agents, paying McCann $17 million over the next five years is a pretty fair price to pay for someone with a plus bat at an offensively starved position like catcher.

Simply put, the Yankees needed to improve their present product, and in signing McCann, they made the biggest and best upgrade they possibly could have on the free agent market.

. . .

All stats courtesy of FanGraphs.com.

Alex Skillinis an regular contributor to Beyond the Box Score and also a Web Editor for SoxProspects.com. He writes, mostly about baseball and basketball, at a few other places across the Internet. You can follow him on Twitter at @AlexSkillin.

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It has been an interesting week for Alex Rodriguez, shall we say. Has it changed what you think of the best-paid player in baseball history?

If you haven't been paying attention to the Alex Rodriguez circus in New York this week, then I have only two things to say. 1) You've been missing the juiciest slab of soap-opera to unfold in the city that never sleeps since Carrie Bradshaw hung up her stilettos. And 2) I don't blame you in the slightest, because much though I am enjoying the spectacle of seeing the Yankees thoroughly embarrassed by association, it's a saga that - much like Sex and the City - has gone on, well past the point where it ceased to be more than background radiation. Still, events of the past few days are worth a recap. Thanks to SB Nation for additional reporting.

Rodriguez and MLB resumed their grievance hearings on Monday, as he continued his appeal of a 211-game suspension out of the Biogenesis scandal. There had been a delay: a scheduled interview of Rodriguez with Major League Baseball on Friday was called off, due to A-Rod having the dreaded "flu-like symptoms." Things rumbled along for the first couple of days. Questioned on Tuesday was Dan Mullin, the senior vice president of MLB’s department of investigations. Rodriguez's camp has accused him of having sexual relations with a Biogenesis employee, and paid over $100,000 to acquire a cell phone which allegedly contains "suggestive" text messages from him.

It was Wednesday when things erupted, Rodriguez apparently highly-upset that independent arbitrator Fredric Horowitz wouldn't compel Commissioner Bud Selig to testify. The defense wanted to quiz Selig about the decision to go after Rodriguez, in the absence of any positive drug test. However, that didn't happen - MLB pointing out that Selig has never testified in any such hearing - Rodriguez told baseball's COO Rob Manfred that he is "full of shit."and left. In a statement issued later that dau, Rodriguez said, "The absurdity and injustice just became too much. I walked out and will not participate any further in this farce."

"Not participate" clearly didn't mean "going home and staying quiet." Instead, Rodriguez headed over to WFAN where he vented, at quite some length, to Mike Francesca. He accused Selig of being on a witch-hunt for Rodriguez: "He's retiring... and to put me on his mantle on the way out, that's a hell of a trophy." He also seemed more or less to give up on the entire process, saying "I'm done. I don't have a chance. Let the arbiter decide whatever he decides. I'm sure Selig and whoever will be the beneficiaries of that decision." He denied point-blank any wrong-doing, but a body-language expert reckons Rodriguez was telling porkies during the interview.

Reactions around the sports pundit world ran the whole gamut. Jeff Passan said A-Rod "is nothing more than Jose Canseco, convinced that the black helicopters are real, that Rob Manfred aimed at him from the grassy knoll, that a grand conspiracy exists and he's not going to put up with it anymore. He took his ball and went home Wednesday to the fiefdom of A-Rod, where nobody is out to get him. And that makes sense. He's the only one who lives there." But ESPN's Jim Caple took a much more charitable tone towards the embattled slugger, and put the case for the defense:

Major League Baseball IS hosing A-Rod. No, I don't believe he's completely innocent, but league rules are clear that a first-time offense for PED use is punishable by a 50-game suspension. Because A-Rod's first proven use of PEDs was before this rule went into effect, this would be his first offense (if indeed he is guilty). If baseball wants the players to obey the rules, the league must follow them as well.

If not, Selig absolutely has an obligation to testify in this case.

Of course there was also Peter Gammons, comparing A-Rod to the Boston bombers, but I think we all should draw a veil over that unfortunate parallel. I think there's something to be said for both sides here. It does seem like an awful lot of time and effort has been spent by MLB to "get A-Rod," and one senses this effort might be connected to Ryan Braun skating away from his 2011 NLDS positive test. But given Rodriguez is the sole player to have appealed against the suspensions resulting from the Biogenesis clinic, it seems fairly clear that something dubious was going on. And his history is such, that I have a sense justice is probably being served here, if not the letter of the law.

So have this week's events done anything to change your opinion of Alex Rodriguez?

If you'd like to talk some football or anything that isn't related to the Yankees signing Brian McCann, here is the place to do it. Fantasy Football playoffs for the Pinstripe Alley league begins next week, so teams are vying for those valuable playoff spots. Feel free to discuss your team, real or fake.

Here are the games on tap for today:

Steelers vs. Browns

Buccaneers vs. Lions

Vikings vs. Packers

Chargers vs. Chiefs

Bears vs. Rams

Panthers vs. Dolphins

Jets vs. Ravens

Jaguars vs. Texans

Titans vs. Raiders

Colts vs. Cardinals

Giants vs. Cowboys

Broncos vs. Patriots

Make your predictions for the games in the comments below. Enjoy your Sunday afternoon and we'll be here all day with more McCann signing analysis throughout the day, as well as anything else that may pop up along the way.

More from Pinstripe Alley:

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• Yankees sign Brian McCann: Reaction from around the internet
• Brian McCann signs with Yankees: Finding the good and bad in his five-year deal
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Was the first big splash of the offseason a good one? You decide.

The Yankees forfeited the 19th pick in next year's draft by signing the best catcher on the free agent market in Brian McCann. After suffering with the futility of Chris Stewart for nearly the entire 2013 season, the team didn't fall into the same trap as the 2012 offseason in failing to come up with a suitable plan for the catcher position. The deal includes a sixth year vesting option that would bump the five-year, $85 million deal up to six years and $100 million. Catchers tend to break down at an earlier age due to the strain on their bodies, but McCann will only be 30 years old when the 2014 season begins.

McCann's left-handed swing and power bat will be a welcome site in Yankee Stadium with it's hitter-friendly short porch. That kind of offensive capability is something the team hasn't really consistently seen since Jorge Posada's retirement, thanks to a streaky hitter in Russell Martin and a non-hitter in Stewart. If the Yankees were looking to show that they were willing to open their wallets this offseason, getting McCann inked to a deal early was a good way to get that started.

Now it is time for you to be the judge and jury on the contract. Do you think it was a good move for the Yankees, or should they have been more selective with their money and giving up their highest draft pick in years? Vote in the poll below! Also, feel free to share your thoughts on the McCann signing by writing a Fanpost on the site here.

More Pinstripe Alley coverage of the Brian McCann signing:

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• Yankees sign Brian McCann: Reaction from around the internet
• Yankees sign Brian McCann to a five-year deal
• Brian McCann signs with Yankees: Finding the good and bad in his five-year deal
• Yankees sign Brian McCann to five-year, $85 million deal
• Yankees in serious talks with Brian McCann

No more Chris Stewart!

Brian McCann and the New York Yankees have agreed to an $85 million, five-year deal, with a sixth-year vesting option that could push McCann's total haul to $100 million when all is said and done. While this is a lot to pay a catcher (and perhaps represents an overreaction to the unmitigated disaster of enduring the horror of watching Chris Stewart start a hundred games in 2013), there is no doubt the Yankees addressed perhaps the biggest hole in their lineup.

Overall, while the price tag is a bit steep, and he's had some injury issues the past two years, this is a good deal for both McCann and the Yankees. The Yankees just had to upgrade behind the plate this season and now they have their catcher for the foreseeable future. McCann, well, McCann got paid, and paid handsomely.

But chances are he'll be worth it.

McCann is no doubt one of the best offensive catchers in the game. He won four straight Silver Slugger awards from 2008-2011 (and five total) and has played in seven All-Star Games. His career line of .277/.350/.473 with a 117 wRC+, coupled with his consistent ability to hit 20 home runs and record over 75 RBI in a season, show that he'll become a dependable bat in the heart of the Yankee lineup. Also, the short porch in right will no doubt boost his power numbers.

His defensive numbers are a bit underwhelming (he threw out just 24% of would-be base stealers last year), but McCann was still by far the best catcher in this free agent class. With the top catchers in the game like Yadier Molina and Buster Posey locked up to long term deals, he is the best catcher that would've been available any time soon.

With McCann's bat, he can be slotted into the DH spot in a few years, or moved to first base when Mark Teixeira's deal expires in 2016 as Jason suggested. This will give the Yankees the option to bring up Gary Sanchez or J.R. Murphy when they're ready, without rushing them, all the while still getting plenty of value out of their new addition. Signing McCann makes a lot of sense: it gives the Yankees a good catcher now, a dependable power bat for the future, and the flexibility to keep developing their talented catching prospects without rushing them to the majors.

But what does this mean for the rest of the offseason? The Yankees aren't done spending, not with Robinson Cano still unsigned, the need for another outfielder, a potential hole at third base, and a starting rotation that needs shoring up. Even with a new $17 million-a-year contract on the books, the Yankees will still have about $60 million to spend after they sign their arbitration-eligible players. Cano will require at least $20-25 million per year, although by showing him that they aren't waiting, the Yankees could have taken the necessary step to drive that figure down towards $20 million and away from the ridiculous $30 million a year he is still demanding.

Signing Cano would leave the Yankees only $35-40 million to use toward Carlos Beltran, Masahiro Tanaka, and Shin-Soo Choo, which means they could probably only sign one of them and still have enough left over to flesh out the bullpen, add some more (cheap) starting pitching, and stay under the $189 million luxury tax threshold.

The fact remains that this McCann signing does not really limit their options going forward in the offseason. They still have plenty of money (more, if they'll just abandon Plan 189), and, if this signing shows anything, the Yankees are willing to spend.

With Alex Rodriguez's status uncertain, and the looming question of whether Derek Jeter will be a productive hitter in 2014, they needed to add a bat, as well as add a catcher. They got both with McCann. His injury issues the last two seasons are a bit troubling, but there just simply aren't many catchers of McCann's caliber that will be available any time soon. And punting on the position, as they did in 2013, is simply not an option.

It was a signing that had to be made, and they've still got money to spend to make sure 2014 isn't a repeat of last season. Now if only they can re-sign Cano.

More from Pinstripe Alley:

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• A look back at the last five Yankee MVPs
• Yankees Rumors: New York in talks with Beltran, Ellsbury, Choo, Drew and Kuroda
• Yankees sign Brian McCann: What number will he wear?
• Yankees trade rumors: New York has interest in Matt Kemp
• Yankees sign Brian McCann: What does it mean for Robinson Cano?

Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

• Yankee sign Brian McCann: A move that had to be made
• Brian McCann, home runs, and Yankee Stadium
• Masahiro Tanaka news: NPB officials coming to New York to resolve posting system issues
• Yankees Rumors: Carlos Beltran is the new top target
• Yankees sign Brian McCann: How will it impact the rest of the offseason?
• Yankees Rumors: Stephen Drew not an interest
• Yankees Top Moments: (#1) Maris' 61st homer vs. (#8) Mantle's homer wins Game 3, '64 World Series

Yankees News

• ESPN New York | Andrew Marchand: There's a possibility that the Yankees might be interested in re-negotiating with Robinson Cano for a limited time only.
• Minor League Ball | John Sickels: A prospect retrospective of Brian McCann when he was in the Atlanta Braves organization.
• LoHud | Chad Jennings: How Brian McCann alters the organization, from payroll, to roster, to the minor league system.
• Baseball America | Ben Badler: Major League Baseball's proposed posting system would likely have increased the luxury tax percentage on the money used to sign players.
• NoMaas | SJK: The Brian McCann doesn't exactly prove that the Yankees are committed to spending.
• It's About the Money | Domenic Lanza: Building an all around solid team under the $189 million budget.
• LoHud | Chad Jennings: Should the Yankees be focusing on Carlos Beltran, who will be 37 in 2014, or should they be looking into younger options?
• New York Post | Ken Davidoff:Alex Rodriguez and Bud Selig were both in attendance for Michael Weiner's funeral, but never crossed paths.
• It's About the Money | Brad Vietrogoski: The Brian McCann contract might not be so great when you consider his mileage, recent struggles against left-handers, and the trend of left-handed pull hitters in Yankee Stadium.
• CBS Sports | Dayn Perry: Robinson Cano had one of the best RBI percentages in baseball, while Ichiro Suzuki had one of the worst.
• CBS New York | Sweeny Murti: The Yankees may have finally proven that they're serious about spending after signing Brian McCann.

Coming Up Today

• Yankees Top Moments: (#2) Chambliss Homer Wins ALCS vs. (#7) Murcer wins after Munson's funeral @ 9 am
• Brian McCann GIFs: What to expect when you're expecting Brian McCann @ 1 pm

Two great Yankee moments: the elation of a walk-off to go to the World Series, and the emotion of winning a game on the same day as a beloved teammate's funeral.

The Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament continues with the 1960-1979 period bracket. Vote for the moment that deserves to move on in the poll below.

(#2) Chambliss Homer Wins ALCS

The year was 1976. Wild Cherry's "Play that Funky Music" dominated the airwaves, Marathon Man had people asking, "Is it safe?", and for the first time in a decade, the Yankees were back. From 1921 through 1964, the Yankees won 29 American League Pennants and 20 World Series Championships. After losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1964 World Series, the Yankees endured a decade without October baseball, more than doubling any other playoff drought in the previous 50 years.

After spending a couple years playing home games in Shea Stadium while Yankee Stadium underwent renovations, the Yankees returned to their home park in 1976. Thurman Munson, newly minted team captain and that year's American League MVP, along with Catfish Hunter, Sparky Lyle, Willie Randolph, Graig Nettles, and Chris Chambliss, helped the Yankees to 97 wins and a double-digit lead in the standings over the second place Orioles.

Chambliss was a key piece to the pennant, but hardly the star of that Yankees team. The All-Star first baseman hit a solid .293 with 17 homers during the regular season, and he saved his best for the five-game series against the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series. Over five games, Chambliss hit .524 with eight RBI, including a key home run in Game 3 that helped the Yankees to a 5-3 win and 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Kansas City came back to win Game 4, and Game 5 was a back and forth affair that saw Kansas City take and give back the lead twice before the Yankees gave up three runs in the eighth on a George Brett homer, causing the game to be knotted at six heading to the bottom of the ninth.

The Yankees needed one run in the ninth to win the game and the series, earning their first World Series appearance in more than a decade. With Mark Littell pitching, Chambliss hit the first pitch he saw and ended the Yankees' AL pennant drought. The only trouble Chambliss encountered came from fans mobbing him as he rounded the bases. Although the Yankees did not win the World Series until the following year, Chambliss' shot has earned its spot in Yankee lore.

(#7) Murcer wins after Munson's funeral

Thurman Munson won three Gold Gloves, made seven All-Star teams, and won the 1976 AL MVP, but on August 6, 1979, the Bronx Bombers were not missing Munson's bat nor his glove. The Yankees were missing a teammate, a friend, a captain, and for many fans, a hero.

On August 2, 1979, Thurman Munson died while practicing flight landings near his home in Ohio. The first Yankee captain since Lou Gehrig, Munson led the Yankees to three straight pennants, including two World Series titles. Only one day after his tragic death, the Yankees began a homestand against the Baltimore Orioles. The game began with eight fielders taking their positions. The area behind the plate remained empty. Only after a moment of silence, "America the Beautiful" and a lengthy ovation did Jerry Narron take the spot behind the plate that had been reserved for Munson for the previous decade.

The entire team attended Munson's funeral on August 6th before heading back to New York for the finale against the Orioles. Not much went right for the Yankees as Ron Guidry gave up two homers and four runs, putting the Yankees down 4-0 through six. A three-run homer by Munson's close friend Bobby Murcer brought the Yankees to within one after seven. The game remained at 4-3 until the ninth when Bucky Dent led off the inning with a walk. An error on a bunt by Randolph put runners on second and third. Up came Murcer, who just hours earlier had delivered Munson's eulogy. Murcer managed to deliver again, knocking a single to left field to drive home Dent and Randolph. Murcer drove in all five runs and honored his dear friend's memory with one of the most memorable games in Yankees history.

Thurman Munson

New York Yankees

June 7, 1947-August 2, 1979

YANKEE CAPTAIN

Our Captain and Leader has not left us-today, tomorrow, this year, next...our endeavors will reflect our love and admiration for him.

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McLouth could fit a role as a cheap platoon partner in the outfield in someone like Carlos Beltran proves too expensive.

Fresh off signing Brian McCann to a big contract, the New York Yankees are interested in Nate McLouth to help in the outfield, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. McLouth played with the division-rival Baltimore Orioles in 2013. In his first full season since 2009, he hit .258/.329/.399 with 12 home runs.

A lefty at the plate, McLouth could fit into the Yankees outfield as a platoon mate for Alfonso Soriano or Ichiro Suzuki. McLouth has a career 748 OPS against right-handed pitching compared to just a 648 OPS against lefties. Despite batting from the same side of the plate as McLouth, Ichiro was 163 points of OPS better against left-handed pitchers than righties. Soriano also hits much better against southpaws, though he has been competent against right handers.

2013-2014 MLB free agent tracker

Keep tabs on all of baseball's free agents with our handy tracker.

Those platoon splits could make McLouth a cheaper option to improve the Yankee outfield with the team likely losing Curtis Granderson to free agency. The Yankees have also been heavily interested in Carlos Beltran, but with him being a popular name on the market, he may end up receiving a bigger contract than New York would be prepared to give.

Along with the $85 million the team will pay to McCann, the Yankees also want to re-sign Robinson Cano and Hiroki Kuroda. If a new posting agreement is sorted out and Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka is available, New York plans to bid heavily for his services, as well. With the stated goal of staying under $189 million in 2013 to avoid the luxury tax, the Yankees may look to someone like McClouth to keep costs low.

The Yankees also have Vernon Wells on their squad. With the designated hitter spot needing to be filled, they could certainly fit in playing time for five outfielders, however.

McLouth, 31, made just $2 million with the Orioles last season. While he may be in for a raise after a nice year, he does not figure to receive too much more per year. After signing McCann, the Yankees will likely have somewhere around $50 million to spend if they want to keep under $189 million.

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The second quartile of the countdown is in the books. Before we head to the cream of the crop, let's do a quick review of how we got here.

We've now completed the second quartile of the countdown.  As we moved through these 25 profiles, we hit every decade in history, some a bit heavier than others. It was a bit heavy on the hitting, with fourteen players and eleven starting pitchers. We noted a couple of long team contributors, Charles Nagy and Willis Hudlin; a couple early Tribe hurlers that were quite dominant, Jim Bagby, George Uhle, and Vean Gregg; the best designated hitter in history, Travis Hafner; a pair of Hall of Famers in Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar; and the best defensive shortstop in history, Omar Vizquel.

For those who missed the beginning of the series, you can click the red "Top 100 Indians" box at the top of this article to see all the profiles, or click on the Top 100 Indians hub on the front page of the site. Or you can click on the links below:

Please see here and here for the recap of the 25 players profiled in the third and fourth quartiles respectively. Let's briefly recap the last 25 profiles:

50. CF Brett Butler (1984-1987) - The center fielder for the mid-80s teams who arguably was the best player on those teams and most celebrated base stealer to that point in time.

49. RH SP Jim Bagby Sr. (1916-1922) - The best starter on the 1920 World Champion and a workhorse for the late teens' squads.

48. RF Shin-Soo Choo (2006-2012) - Another in a line of thefts from the Mariners, the right fielder who was the main offensive threat in the late 2000's.

47. RH SP Tom Candiotti (1986-1991, 1999) - The knuckleballer who was the mainstay of the late 80's teams. He was one of the more under appreciated starters of his era.

46. RH SP George Uhle (1919-1928, 1936) - This three time 20 game winner who completed almost two thirds of his starts, he was credited as being Babe Ruth's least favorite starter to face. He also is sometimes credited with inventing the slider.

45. DH/1B Andre Thornton (1977-1987) - The "Thunder" came over in one of the more lopsided trades in history and was the only power source on the team for much of his tenure.

44. RH SP Bert Blyleven (1981-1985) [HOF] - The best starter of the AL in 1984, he was best known as the hot-foot expert in his brief stint with the Tribe.

43. RH SP Johnny Allen (1936-1940) - One of the few trades with the Yankees where the Tribe got the best end of the trade, he had one of the most dominant seasons ever in 1937.

42. RH SP Bartolo Colon (1997-2002) - A great ace in his own right, he is usually better known for the bountiful return he brought back in 2002.

41. 3B Toby Harrah (1979-1983) - Buddy Bell's replacement would end up eclipsing him as one of the better hitters on the early 80s squads.

40. RH SP Charles Nagy (1990-2002) - Never flashy, but very durable and dependable, he was a mainstay of the staff for over a decade.

39. LF/RF Jeff Heath (1936-1945) - Another in a long line of successful left fielders who also had an extraordinary temper.

38. LH SP Vean Gregg (1911-1914) - Like a firework rocket, his Indian career was began with a bang and then flamed out. But he had one of the all-time greatest pitching seasons ever in 1911.

37. 3B Ken Keltner (1937-1944, 1946-1949) - A key cog on the 40s teams, he was also a major factor during the 1948 championship run and a seven time All-Star.

36. 2B Roberto Alomar (1999-2001) [HOF] - Sandy's brother was one of the few high profile free agents that was ever signed during his prime. And those three seasons were well worth with the contract.

35. C/1B Victor Martinez (2002-2009) - A converted shortstop, he would go on to become one of the best hitting catchers in team history and a master at hand shakes.

34. RH SP/RP Willis Hudlin (1926-1940) - Another workhorse who was never really an ace, but also part of some very deep rotations in his decade and a half in Cleveland.

33. DH Travis Hafner (2003-2012) - The best designated hitter in Tribe history by far, he was one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball from 2004 to 2006 until a shoulder injury sapped him of his power.

32. RH SP Luis Tiant (1964-1969) - El Tiante was part of the superb 60s rotations and arguably had a better season than Denny McClain in the famed 1968 Year of the Pitcher.

31. RF Rocky Colavito (1955-1959, 1965-1967) - Arguably the most beloved Tribe player ever, he was dealt away at the prime of his career in one of the worst Indians trades ever by Trader Lane.

30. CF Grady Sizemore (2004-2011) - An All-Star by 23, his career was on a Hall of Fame trajectory until injury after injury shut down one of the most promising careers.

29. SS Omar Vizquel (1994-2004) - The best defensive shortstop in history, this eight time Gold Glover was a pretty decent hitter as well, using his speed to assist the powerhouse 90s teams.

28. 3B Bill Bradley (1901-1910) - The first local hero of this Cleveland franchise, he was one of the first power hitters in the Dead Ball Era as well as highly regarded defender at the hot corner when gloves were nothing then glorified pads on your hands.

27. RH SP/PH Wes Ferrell (1927-1933) - The career best hitting pitcher in franchise history (and perhaps in MLB not counting Babe Ruth), also was a superb starter before an arm injury forced him to be dealt.

26. 2B Bobby Avila (1949-1958) - This first Mexican native to star for the Tribe, he won a league batting title and was a key component of the juggernaut 1954 AL champions.

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Mark Teixeira hasn't been seen on a baseball field since June, but the All-Star first baseman is making a comeback from wrist surgery and hopes to be ready for the 2014 season. He spoke on the YES Network's Hot Stove show to give an update on where he is in his rehab.

Teixeira has been out of his cast for awhile now and is currently working on simple things like range of motion and only making slow swings to get his body familiar with the swinging again. He has a schedule planned out and hopes to be focusing on strength and flexibility in December. By January he plans to start taking full-speed swings and will be working with Bobby Valentine (???) to start hitting off a tee. By February he will be hitting off a high-speed pitching machine and by March he will start batting practice. Tex said he's looking to get into some simulated games before hopefully returning to spring training games by the first week in March.

To better take care of his wrists and avoid further injury, he will no longer be using a weighted bat. He will also be looking to reduce the amount of swings he takes in a day and in a game, meaning he won't be taking as many practice swings, not that he'll stop swinging at pitches. He says that he will feel ready once he is able to swing and make contact on inside pitches, so he can drive the ball to the right field fence. That's probably the mentality that has caused his career to take a disappointing turn. Good to hear that hasn't changed.

He believes his injury stemmed from overuse, so the Yankees must be planning on giving him some extra rest throughout the season. Hopefully they are going to bring in someone who can handle a game or two a week at first base. They could bring back Mark Reynolds to play first and third, or Corey Hart to play first and outfield. It doesn't seem like the Yankees have much room for guys like Kendrys Morales, Paul Konerko, James Loney, Justin Morneau or Carlos Pena because they already have plenty of people who need DH time. They are unlikely to bring back Kevin Youkilis, but nothing is known about Lyle Overbay in 2014 so far.

Take a look at the video and look at that stupid face.

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Hank Steinbrenner just birthed the first big boom bang contract of the offseason. So what do we have to look forward to from our sparkly new catcher?

On Saturday night, you were not having a good time because you were out with your beloved chums. I mean, you may very well have been doing just that, but in actuality, you were having a good time because you just heard the news that the Yankees had signed Brian McCann to a contract. The contract is both long and laden with monies. But that’s fine, because after the 2013 campaign—"campaign" is perhaps too romantic and regal a word to afford it—we’ve all seen enough mediocre catching to last a lifetime. McCann is a catcher that can catch (after watching Chris Stewart, I’ve come to believe that’s a rarity) and, happily, he’s a catcher that can hit! But that’s not all he can do. No—Brian McCann is a man of many talents.

Has Been Known to Be Itchy

Has Been Known to Have Bad Luck

"Hey guys, where’s the ball go— NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

Has Been Known to Possess an 80 Sweat Tool

Missing from this is the other three minutes of the interview where it looks like it’s just straight up raining on his face.

Has Been Known to Hit with Runners in Scoring Position

Has Been Known to Have a Pretty Good Swing

That’s pretty good, though. I mean, that’s legitimately good. I have some adjectives that I suggest we might appropriate for McCann (just imagine the words "into right" after each of these):

• swatted
• dispatched
• redirected
• pulsared
• assassinated
• cannoned (!)
• comboed
• issued
• given a travel visa

Has Been Known to Perform a Traditional Irish Jig on Occasion

Has Been Known to Like Clubbing

McCann, seen here performing a dance move that is illegal in sixteen states.

Has Been Known to Not Stop Cursing Once He Has Started

In case it’s not clear, the reason you can’t see his mouth is because MLB Baseball has seen fit to blur it out for a full five seconds (sped up here in GIF form). Five seconds! I'm not sure I have enough curse words to fill out two, let alone five. Because, you know, once you get going you can fire them out quick. Somewhere in Georgia, Brian McCann is still cursing. "$#%*@# Steinbrenners @*#%#* contract @$#%@% shopping mall stadium @$#$&% A-Rod—"

If you have any time to spare before rushing off to purchase a Brian McCann poster or pre-ordering a Brian McCann jersey, consider following us on Twitter, or perhaps reviewing some of our previous efforts.

Beltran is one of the most popular free agents on the market this year, but may be seeking too much for the Yankees.

The New York Yankees are rumored to be chasing Carlos Beltran to help the team in the outfield with free agent Curtis Granderson likely departing. However, the team is only willing to give a two-year deal while Beltran is seeking three, reports Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York.

Beltran seemingly has no end to his suitors this offseason with the Yankees, Mets, Royals, Mariners, Rangers and others all coming up in rumors for the outfielder. However, Beltran will be entering his age-37 season, making teams wary of a long-term deal. A third season would take him into his 40s and, despite playing well the last few years, it won't necessarily keep up forever.

Beltran hit .296/.339/.491 with 24 home runs in 145 games with the Cardinals in 2013. His 830 OPS is a far cry from 2009 and 2011, when he hit for over a 900 OPS. However, in those two seasons, he has showed that he can still have value to a contending team, and did so while in a pitcher's park, too.

2013-2014 MLB free agent tracker

Keep tabs on all of baseball's free agents with our handy tracker.

This offseason, whomever is willing to give Beltran a third year first could be the team to land him. He took a two year deal worth $26 million to play with the Cardinals and will likely be looking at a similar contract this year if that third season never materializes. The Yankees would love for that contract to be with them and are willing to give him $14 million per season -- they just won't add on that pesky additional year.

The Yankees would like to improve an outfield that posted a combined 696 OPS in 2013, fourth-worst in the majors. Curtis Granderson barely played last season due to injury and is likely leaving as a free agent. A trade for Alfonso Soriano helped some, but Ichiro Suzuki has lost much of his luster in right field, and there is no guarantee Vernon Wells even makes it to Opening Day with how little of his salary New York is responsible for. The Yankees are also interested in free agent outfielder Nate McLouth. McLouth would be a much cheaper option to help the team stay under the $189 million luxury tax. However, he would likely be used in a platoon role with Ichiro or Soriano, not as a full-time player like Beltran, so there is a cost associated with their thriftiness.

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The Yankees are willing to pay Carlos Beltran, who has become their #1 target for the moment, $14 million per year over two years to fill vacancies in their outfield. Beltran is holding out for a third year on his next deal that the Yankees have, so far, been unwilling to concede. Will that keep Beltran out of New York in 2014?

Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York writes that a Yankees source tells him that the team sees the third year for Beltran as a deal-breaker. Beltran would turn 39 around Opening Day of the third year of a three-year deal. With multiple players already at or near 40 years old, it is likely not in the Yankees' best interest to add yet another one to the fold. If they want to agree to a longer deal with a player, the younger Jacoby Ellsbury and Shin-Soo Choo are still available.

Hopefully this is a glimmer of hope that the Yankees realize that they need to stop the practice of giving old players multi-year deals in the twilight of their careers. Switching gears from Beltran to Ellsbury or Choo would definitely require more money to work out a deal, but that shouldn't cause them to waiver on sticking to their guns on not giving Beltran three years instead.

Would you be willing to go three years for Beltran? What do you think the best backup plan for the Yankees is if they can't work out a deal with him?

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Teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are joined by slugger Frank Thomas and more in this year's Cooperstown ballot.

The Baseball Writers Association of America has announced the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot, bringing aboard a slew of retirees to join the 17 holdovers from last winter's inductee-less ballot. The most significant names are Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Jeff Kent, but plenty of others will get a shot at collecting Cooperstown votes as well.

Hideo Nomo, Moises Alou, Luis Gonzalez, Mike Mussina, Kenny Rogers, Armando Benitez, Eric Gagne, J.T. Snow, Todd Jones, Mike Timlin, Sean Casey, Richie Sexson, Ray Durham, Paul Lo Duca, and Jacque Jones round out the list of newbies. While most of these players will likely fall off of the ballot in a year or two, simply making it at all is an accomplishment, and requires 10 years in the majors, among other things, to even qualify.

Maddux, Glavine, and Thomas seem like the obvious locks for enshrinement either this year or next, with players like Mike Mussina and Jeff Kent making noise for a few years before it becomes clear what the voters think of them. It's a busy ballot, though, when you consider all of the holdovers from previous seasons, and the fact that the BBWAA members selecting Hall of Famers can only pick 10 players per ballot, regardless of how many are actual viable candidates.

That leaves some players in an uncomfortable situation, such as last year's leading recipient, Craig Biggio, as well as Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Edgar Martinez, and more. All of these players have and should continue to receive enough votes to remain on the ballot, but, as happened with this heap of new entries, more options will continue to pour in, further delaying their enshrinement while the BBWAA debates to what degree MLB's steroid era should be represented.

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After a season of catcher production that would disappoint an expansion team, the Yankees get one of the best in the game.

When people think of the signature position to play for the New York Yankees, center fielder is the one that seems to be mentioned most frequently. After all, it's the position that has been manned by such greats as Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams, among others. But it may be the position of catcher that most symbolizes the Yankees' success over nearly a full century. For what has been a traditionally difficult position to field great players, the Yankees have been privileged to have many.

Obviously that last statement need not apply to the 2013 season. In what will go down as nothing short of an embarrassment to a franchise that has had two Hall of Famers behind the plate be enshrined in pinstripes, the four Yankee catchers managed to combine for a 61 wRC+ last year. Going without an established catcher will go down as one of the front office's bigger mistakes in recent memory. That's all in the past though, as Brian McCann brings the sort of credentials that rival Yankees catchers of yesteryear Let's look at four of the most famous ones.

Through Age 29 season:

I opted to leave out Elston Howard as he got his starting opportunity even later than Posada did. But as you can see, McCann's career thus far holds up quite well when put up against four of the best offensive catchers of all time. Throw in his seven All-Star appearances and nearly 30 accumulated fWAR, and the Yankees have acquired a player that may very well join Berra and Dickey in the Hall of Fame. Not that it has any bearing on his future success with the team, but having that sort of resume compared to that of the likes of Chris Stewart should bring a smile to your face.

When comparing McCann to those former greats, it's also of interest to see how they fared as they hit the year-30 plateau, since McCann will be under contract for at least five years.

Year 30 season and beyond:

Munson's career was obviously tragically cut short, but he had a 107 OPS+ in his three seasons. While the wear and tear on catchers is always a concern, it seems there is precedent in the truly elite hitters still maintaining their effectiveness well into their thirties. It may not be the prime years of McCann's career, but he should still be quite good.

It's a proud tradition that Brian McCann now has become a part of. It certainly comes with high expectations, but his past success paints him as a player that should be more than capable of adding to that tradition. And with at least $85 million coming his way, he's certainly expected to.

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A-Rod's fleet of legal advisors has amended the language of his suit to include some not-so-nice words about the commissioner.

Alex Rodriguez and his cohort of lawyers have updated their lawsuit against Major League Baseball to include language that accuses Bud Selig of purposefully "destroying the reputation, career and business prospects" of the Yankees third baseman, reports Ken Davidoff of the NY Post.

Echoing the words Rodriguez used to describe Selig in his infamous WFAN radio interview last week, the updated briefing attempts to deliver a point-by-point blow illuminating the commissioner's alleged bias against A-Rod:

"Despite the fact that he (a) signed the Notice of Discipline imposing a 211 game suspension on Mr. Rodriguez; (b) deemed it acceptable to go on David Letterman’s show in July and joke about a looming suspension of Mr. Rodriguez; and (c) publicly defended MLB’s investigation during the World Series, Mr. Selig chose to hide in his office in Milwaukee rather than come testify at the hearing grievance hearing in New York...

"In Mr. Selig’s world, apparently the "buck" does not stop with Bud."

The suit then states that the commissioner "lacked the courage of his convictions" to testify at Rodriguez's appeal hearing last week, which, to the legal team, indicates that his actions were "aimed at" ruining the three-time MVP's career.

The section of the brief personally implicating Selig ends by again questioning his "courage," calling his stance on the issue "cowardly" and juxtaposing the argument with a picture of the commissioner posing with a fan in an A-ROID t-shirt. (Seriously.)

The suit against MLB has been moved up to federal court, but isn't expected to proceed until Jan. 23, when the two sides will hold a conference. The arbitrator in Rodriguez's appeal case will have made a final decision on his suspension at that point, so if he does anything but wipe the slate clean, A-Rod's team will likely call for an injunction on the ruling. Decisions in labor disputes are notoriously difficult to appeal, so their chances of getting an injunction are slim.

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Yankees reps met with Cano's in New York on Tuesday. The two aren't close to a deal, but the second baseman's side did reportedly concede some.

Representatives for the New York Yankees and free-agent second baseman Robinson Cano met in Manhattan on Tuesday to attempt bridging the gap in negotiations that has existed between the two sides for some time, but were still far apart when the meeting came to an end, reports Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York.

That there were talks held at all hints to the two sides coming to some sort of common ground; Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said last week that until Cano gets "more realistic," they have "nothing to talk about."

Wallace's source indicated that there is "still a pretty big gap" between Cano and his former club, but that the second baseman's side did move "a little" towards the center.  It is unknown whether Cano's concession was in years or dollars, but it did lead to some optimism that headway could be made by the end of the week.

The two sides are expected to meet again on Wednesday then take a short break for the holiday.

The attendance at Tuesday's meeting included the Yankees' two top decision makers (non-owner division), general manager Brian Cashman and team president Randy Levine. On Cano's side were agent Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA and a rep from Jay-Z's Roc Nation. Notably absent from the discussion was Jay-Z himself.

It's been widely reported that Cano, the winter's top free-agent target, is seeking a contract in the vicinity of 10 years and $300 million. Whether his search for record money is a strategic anchoring move or not, the Yankees don't have the money to afford Cano at anywhere near that price, especially if they want to stick to their luxury tax goal for 2014.

The Bombers have reportedly offered Cano a seven-year contract in the neighborhood of $165 million. While the offer is considerably less than the sum the five-time all-star brought to the table, it at least bears a passing resemblance to the long-term deals handed out to comparable second baseman recently (though it still blows them out of the water). Chase Utley inked a seven-year, $85 million deal with the Phillies back in 2007, and new Detroit Tiger Ian Kinsler signed a five-year, $75 million extension with the Rangers before the 2012 season.

If Cano is unable to come to some sort of compromise with the Yankees, he should have no trouble getting big money elsewhere. The Mets are the only other club known to have met with Cano thus far, but there's no doubt his market will expand as the winter progresses.

The 31-year-old batted .314/.383/.516 with 27 home runs and a career-high 65 walks in 160 games for the Yankees this past season, earning Cano his fourth consecutive top 10 finish in the AL Most Valuable Player voting.

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